Process of lasting tackless shoes



1966 v. L. KNEELAND PROCESS OF LASTING TACKLESS SHOES 5 Sheets5heet .L

Filed Dec. 27, 1963 INVENTOR.

Dec. 20, 1966 v, KNEELAND 3,292,190

PROCESS OF LASTING TACKLESS SHOES Filed Dec. 27, 1963 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 V. L. KNEELAND Dec. 20, 1966 PROCESS OF LASTING TACKLESS SHOES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 27, 1963 INVENTOR. f i v v United States Patent 3,292,190 PROCESS OF LASTING TACKLESS SHOES Verne L. Kneeland, 3 Smith Ave., Manchester, N.H. Filed Dec. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 333,953 Claims. (Cl. 12145) This invention comprises a novel process of shoemaking characterized by the employment of a tackless insole-that is to say, an insole that is held in place on the last bottom by external hold-downs until the lasting operation has been carried to the point of permanently securing the insole in position. The invention also includes within its scope a new and improved machine with the assistance of which my novel process may be carried out.

The shoemaking industry has been always plagued by the necessity of using insole tacks which in spite of all efforts are freely overlooked in conventional shoemaking processes so that when the shoe is tried on for the first time the wearers foot is hooked by the tack and can only be released by cutting away the upper. Although many attempts to eliminate insole tacking have been made none has been entirely satisfactory to date and insole tacking is still a routine operation.

I have discovered that an insole may be satisfactorily held and accurately secured in place on a last bottom by external hold-downs arranged to be brought into action above an inverted last on which the upper is already assembled. My process is characterized by clamping the upper against the sides of the last prior to the presentation of the insole and by holding the clamped upper in position until it is lasted to the insole, thus incorporating the insole in the shoe structure.

The machine of my invention is characterized by cooperating elements including:

(1) Means for supporting the inverted last,

(2) Means for clamping the rear end of the upper to the last,

(3) Means for clamping the sides of the upper against the last,

(4) Means for presenting and supporting one or more hold-downs above the last,

(5 Means for operating the hold-downs,

(6) Wipers for over-lasting the margin of the upper, and

(7) Fluid pressure means for operating the clamps and wipers.

In one aspect the invention comprises the cooperative arrangement and structure of these elements and another aspect consists in the new and improved structure of the individual elements.

These and other features will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the machine selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of the complete machine.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary detail on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a transverse view of the machine, and

FIGS. 4-8 are diagrammatic views illustrating successive steps in the shoemaking process as carried out by the machine of FIGS. 1-3.

While the process of my invention may be carried out with the assistance of a lasting jack and hand operated tools, it is more efliciently practiced with the assistance of the novel power operated machine herein disclosed or a machine having equivalent elements.

As herein shown the machine comprises a base plate 10 which is supported at convenient height and carries the various elements that will now be described.

(1) Means for supporting the inverted last. The base plate 10 is provided with upstanding bosses 30 to which is pivoted a carrier plate 31 supported for angular adjustment by a stop screw 32. To the bottom of the carrier plate 31 is adjustably secured a toe plate 33 from which projects a threaded toe post 34 carrying a toe pad 35. The carrier plate 31 is provided with upstanding flanges 36 between which is pivotally mounted a heel post block 37 carrying a last pin. The block is arranged to rock about the axis of a transverse pin 38 extending between the flanges 36 and is held in adjustable position by a bolt 39 threaded into the carrier plate 31. It will be seen that the machine is thus provided with heel and toe posts for supporting a conventional wooden last 90 in inverted position.

(2) Means for clamping the rear end of the upper to the last. A second carrier plate 40 is adjustably supported by bolts 41 above the rear end of the carrier plate 31. The plate 40 is formed with an upstanding arm 42 to which is secured a horizontal fluid pressure cylinder 43 having a piston 44 which carries a counter pad 45 at its outer end. A block 46 is secured to the carrier plate 31 and provided with a horizontal channel in which a guide pin 48 is arranged to travel. This pin projects downwardly from the piston 44 and holds it against angular displacement in the operation of the machine. A back seam gauge 47 is secured to the block 46 and this serves to assist the operator in properly assembling an upper 91 on the last 90. A valve 49 is secured to the arm 42 and provided with an operating handle 50. The valve has compressed air connections on one side to a fluid pressure source and on the other to the fluid pressure cylinder 43. Accordingly when the handle 50 is operated the piston 44 is advanced and the counter pad 45 moved into clamping engagement with the counter portion of the upper where it is located on the heel end of the last.

(3) Means for clamping the sides of the upper against the last. The base plate 10 carries four upper clamping devices in the shape of sub-assemblies, located two on each side of the last as indicated in FIGS. 4-8. Two of these are shown in FIG. 1 and it will be understood that their construction is identical. Each of the clamping pads is carried by a piston 56 movable under fluid pressure in a cylinder 57 secured to an upstanding arm of a bracket 58. The bracket 58 is secured to a plate 59 pivotally connected to another plate 60 adjustably secured to a platform 62 supported by bolts 63 from the base plate 10. An adjusting screw 61 is interposed between the free ends of the plate 59 and the platform 62.

The piston 56 is arranged to swivel in the cylinder 57 and its angular position is determined by a stationary plate 64 secured to the cylinder 57 through a collar and having a pair of adjusting screws 66 arranged to engage an intermediate plate which is secured to the piston 56. A similar provision for swivel adjustment is shown in FIG. 2 in association with a piston 76 which will be referred to hereinafter. The cylinder 57 has fluid connections with a foot valve as indicated in FIG. 1. By operating this foot valve the four clamping pads 55 are advanced into engagement with the upper 91 clamping it securely against the sides of the last 90, after the rear end of the upper has been clamped by the counter pad 45.

(4) Means for presenting and supporting one or more hold downs above the last. The base plate 10 is provided at its right hand end as seen in FIG. 1 with an upstanding boss 11 in which is mounted a vertical post 12. At its upper end the post carries a bracket 13 adjustably supported for height by a collar 14. The bracket is free to swing on the post but is limited in such movement by a stop pin 17 projecting downwardly from a collar 15 secured to the top of the post.

The bracket 13 carries a horizontal shaft 16 having an intermediate bracket 18 adjustable thereon and a second bracket 19 at its outer end. In the bracket 19 is mounted a vertically adjustable carrier post 20 and in the lower end of this post is adjustably secured the shank of a head 21 connected through link 22 to a hold down carrier plate 23. As herein shown this carrier plate is provided with a row of three hold down cylinders 24, and 26 each mounted for individual angular adjustment and under the control of a clamping screw. Each of the cylinders is provided with a piston carrying at its lower end a pad 24, 25 and 26' and these are located in a row above the last bottom.

(5 Means for operating the hold downs. The bracket 18 carries an inclined shaft 27 terminating in a handle 28 and carrying also a valve 29 having fluid pressure connections to a source of compressed air and to each of the hold down cylinders 24, 25 and 26. Accordingly when this valve is operated compressed air is admitted to each of the hold down cylinders and the pads are moved down forcibly into engagement with an insole 92 which is slipped into position on the last bottom after the operation of the side clamps 55 as suggested in FIG. 6. In this step the rear end of the insole is slipped beneath the molded counter flange of the upper 91. The area in which the insole 92 is engaged by the hold down pads 24'26' is indicated in FIG. 7 and it will be understood that these areas may be varied and selected in accordance with the size and shape of the insole dealt with.

(6) Wipers for over-lasting the margins of the upper. To each bracket 58 is secured an upright standard 70 by means of bolts 71 and in each of the standards is adjustably mounted a carrier slide 72 held in position by a set screw 73. Pivotally mounted on the slide 72 is a carrier frame 74 to which is secured a fluid pressure cylinder 75 equipped with a piston 76. At their outer ends each pair of pistons 76 carries a wiper pad 77 shaped to engage the clamped upper 91 and movable to wipe its side margins inwardly over the insole while the latter is held in position by the hold downs 24'26'.

Each of the pistons 76 is arranged to swivel in its cylinder 75 and its angular position is adjustably determined by a plate 79 secured to the upper side of the piston as shown in FIG. 2. A stationary plate 78 is secured to the cylinder 75 by a collar and provided with a pair of set screws 80 bearing upon the plate 79. By adjustment of the screws 80 it will be seen that the angular position of the piston 76 may be determined and maintained during the operation of the machine. The frame 74 which carries the wiper mechanism is pivotally connected by a pin 81 to the slide 72 and urged always upwardly by a tension spring 82 while its angular position is determined by a stop screw 83 threaded in the top of the standard 70. A tension spring 84 is provided to retract the piston 76 when fluid pressure is exhausted from the cylinder.

(7) Fluid pressure means for operating the clamps and wipers. As already explained the counter pad is operated by compressed air admitted to the cylinder 43 from the valve 49 controlled by the handle all as shown in FIG. 3. The side clamping pads are operated by compressed air admitted to the cylinders 57 by connections with the foot valve, not shown, but whose position is indicated in FIG. 1. The hold down pads 24, 25 and 26' are operated by fluid pressure delivered to the hold down cylinders 24, 25 and 26 through connections with the valve 29 and a manifold 85 included in the top of the carrier post 20. The valve 29 is carried by a shaft 27 which is adjustably retained in the bracket 18 so that by manipulating the handle 28 the operator may bring the valve into the most convenient position for operating the machine. The valve 29 also controls admission of compressed air to the cylinders 75 of the four wiper pistons 76.

For convenience and in order to avoid unnecessary multiplication of the reference characters the same 5 numerals have been used to designate the identical parts of the four side clamps. The same numerals have also been used to designate the identical parts of the four Wiper mechanisms.

While the machine is herein shown as organized about an inverted last it would be within the scope of the invention to support the last in any convenient position with the hold downs arranged to move at substantially right angles to the last bottoms as thus presented.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail a machine for carrying out my novel shoemaking process, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A shoemaking process employing a tackless insole and characterized by the steps of supporting a last in 20 inverted position with an upper assembled thereon, clamping the upper to the sides of the last while leaving the last bottom exposed, slipping an imperforate insole into position on the exposed last bottom, pressing the insole by external hold downs against the last bottom and thereby 25 fixing its position thereon, and cement-lasting the upper to the insole while the latter is held in position by the hold downs.

2. A shoemaking process employing a tackless insole and characterized by the steps of supporting a last in 0 inverted position with an upper having an inturned counter flange assembled upon the heel-seat portion of the last, clamping the upper to the sides and rear end of the last, slipping an imperforate insole upon the last bottom and under the counter flange of the upper, pressing the insole in a plurality of areas against the last bottom by external hold downs thereby fixing its position thereon, and lasting the upper to the insole while the latter is held in position by the hold downs.

' 3. A shoemaking process as described in claim 2, further characterized in that the toe portion of the upper is pulled over by hand before the insole is placed upon the last botom.

4. A shoemaking process employing a tackless insole and being characterized by the steps of supporting a last 45 in inverted position with its bottom fully exposed and an upper assembled thereon, locating a loose insole on the exposed last bottom, pressing the insole by external hold downs against spaced areas of the last bottom and thereby holding the insole in fixed position, and while the insole is 50 thus held cement-lasting the upper to the insole.

5. The shoemaking process described in claim 4, further characterized in that the insole pressing step is carried out by hold downs individually operated to engage an r imperforate insole to hold and conform it to the contour of the exposed last bottom and fix its position thereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,261,959 4/1918 Reid 128.1 1,809,364 6/1931 Tweedie 12145 1,347,235 3/1932 Colella 12-145 2,125,884 8/1938 Brothers 128.1 X 2,499,510 3/1950 Kneeland 12145 2,613,376 10/1952 Courchene l28.l 2,885,699 5/1959 Ronza 12145 2,965,909 12/1960 Quinn et al. 121 3,038,182 6/1962 Woodman 12-1 7 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner,

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner. 

1. A SHOEMAKING PROCESS EMPLOYING A TACKLESS INSOLE AND CHARACTERIZED BY THE STEPS OF SUPPORTING A LAST IN INVERTED POSITION WITH AN UPPER ASSEMBLY THEREON, CLAMPING THE UPPER TO THE SIDES OF THE LAST WHILE LEAVING THE LAST BOTTOM EXPOSED, SLIPPING AN IMPERFORATE INSOLE INTO POSITION ON THE EXPOSED LAST BOTTOM, AND THEREBY EXTERNAL HOLD DOWNS AGAINST THE LAST BOTTOM AND THEREBY FIXING ITS POSITION THEREON, AND CEMENT-LASTING THE UPPER TO THE INSLOE WHILE THE LATTER IS HELD IN POSITION BY THE HOLD DOWNS. 